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Q What is the World Stem Cell Summit?
The annual World Stem Cell Summit is the largest interdisciplinary networking meeting of stem cell stakeholders, with an overarching purpose of fostering biomedical research and investment targeting cures. It is a 3-day, multi-track event (Science, Industry and Society) with more than 170 program participants and 225 sponsors, endorsing organizations and media partners. The Summit is produced annually by my organization, the nonprofit Genetics Policy Institute (GPI), and is co-organized this year with the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), City of Hope, Cedars Sinai Regenerative Medicine Institute, California Institute of Technology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Children's Hospital Los Angeles and Consulate General of Canada in Los Angeles.
What is the mission of the World Stem Cell Summit?
The Summit is a mission-driven event that advances the key goal of the GPI, to promote the field of stem cell research and its application to develop therapeutics and cures for many intractable diseases and disorders. It is one of several projects of the GPI, which include the World Stem Cell Report , speaking engagements, teaching initiatives, special projects and strategic collaborations.
More broadly we aim to unite the global stem cell community. The meeting brings together leading researchers, industry leaders, regulators, government decision-makers, private and public funders, legal experts, economic developers, ethicists, medical philanthropies and, significantly, interested members of the public and patients. By working together and planning effective strategies, we will be able to figure out solutions and forge collaborations to advance stem cells and their translation into treatments.
How is the Summit different from other stem cell meetings?
First, the Summit is not an event produced by a scientific society. It is not our intention to replicate the excellent annual meeting of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) or any other association. Our formula is to engage with major academic institutions, in a particular region hosting the Summit, to showcase the work in that region and from that base invite the world to participate.
Unlike other meetings in our field created by commercial conference companies, we focus on the big picture. The smaller commercial meetings generally are more narrowly focused, either on hard science or company presentations. Those...